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Looks Like Another Airline Wants to Party with Virgin Atlantic

There might be some moving and shaking in the airline industry this week, as it looks like one carrier is interested in a slice of another carrier. Don’t worry, as this isn’t going to be another merger, but if things go through there might be some subtle changes on the horizon.

Singapore Airlines owns around half of Virgin Atlantic, but maybe not for much longer. Apparently Delta is pretty interested in grabbing that share, as rumors are swirling they’re looking to pay up for a 49 percent share in Virgin Atlantic. They might not be the only ones getting a stake in Virgin Atlantic, as there are some indications that Air France-KLM could chip in as well to grab part of Sir Richard Branson’s airline.

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Airline News / Virgin Atlantic / British Airways / BMI / Scotland Travel / Britain Travel / LHR / → All Tags

Virgin Atlantic Adds Scotland to Their 2013 Agenda

Can we please have a moment of silence for airline BMI, which ceased to fly the skies earlier this year as it was sold and snatched up by International Airlines Group (ah hem British Airways).

[Moment of silence].

Okay, now we can be a little happy as it's just been announced that some former slots of BMI at London-Heathrow Airport have been awarded to Virgin Atlantic on the platform that, according to Virgin, "without the remedy slots, [British Airways] would continue to fly from Scotland to Heathrow uncontested but Virgin Atlantic said today that domestic flyers would now have a compelling alternative."

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Instagram Your Way to Having a Photo on Display at Virgin Atlantic's Newest Clubhouse

Have you ever been inside a Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse? They're awesome, right? Totally. And don't the passengers know it. In fact, snapping photos inside the chic Clubhouses and uploading them to Instagram is such a common occurrence that Virgin Atlantic has decided to embrace it with an Instagram contest all their own.

Next month Virgin will unveil a renovated Clubhouse at Newark-Liberty International. It'll have the usual design flair (with a downtown theme), a dining area, a sleek bar and plenty of chill-out space. OH—and an Instagram art gallery, which is where your images come into play.

Upload photos to Instagram or Twitter showing you in a Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, any of the Clubhouses. Do so before November 28, include the hashtag "#howiclubhouse," and they'll be considered for a feature in the Newark gallery.

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Watch 'Departure Date,' Virgin's Movie Filmed on Airplanes

Finally. Now that the Los Angeles Film Festival and the in-flight entertainment systems on the three Virgin airlines have had it, it's time for everyone to be able to watch the first movie filmed onboard commercial flights...in the air. The film, Departure Date comes from Virgin Produced, who teamed up with Virgin America, Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia airlines to shoot and edit the half-hour movie aboard several different flights.

Departure Date, which follows a developing romance between two people who meet on a plane, was entirely shot in nine days on previously scheduled flights over three continents, from Los Angeles to London, Dallas-Fort Worth and Sydney, Australia.

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Duty-Free Shopping Must-Haves: Child's Play

If you're anything like us, you probably think that the in-flight duty-free shopping catalog can eat up a good chunk of time on long-haul international flights and provide a few giggles or unique gift ideas. This week, we'll dive into the pages of some favorite airline shopping magazines and highlight our picks for the just-can't-live-without items.

Next time your are on an international flight, don't forget about the littlest frequent flyers on your souvenir list. Most duty-free trollies have enough plush animals and plane toys to stock a Toys-R-Us. Long live the days when children were happy with with a set of plastic wings and a visit to the cockpit. Here's some of our favorite options:

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This Week Brings New Cities and Destinations to JetBlue, Spirit and More

Sometimes it’s hard to stay on top of all the new route announcements that come our way, so we’ve complied a little bit of a rundown below. As long as you can afford the fares, this should definitely help add to your passport stamp collection.

· JetBlue:
Usually when JetBlue is planning to arrive in a new city there’s some rumors and news preceding the big announcement, but this week we were kind of caught off guard. JetBlue just announced that Charleston, South Carolina will be their latest destination, and the flying fun will be done to cities like Boston and New York. Flights will head back and forth twice per day between New York, and just once per day to and from Boston. All the new options start up on February 28 of next year, and all the flying fun will be done thanks to a little assistance from some of JetBlue’s Embraer E190s. Oh—and of course—the live television and snacks will be free.

· Spirit Airlines:
Hopefully you weren’t too attached to Spirit Airlines and their service to and from Washington-National Airport, as it looks like the planes and pilots are on the move. Spirit is flying out of town in favor of utilizing the somewhat nearby Baltimore/Washington International Airport. Apparently the airline wasn’t too pleased with the ability to expand and grow at an airport that kind of has rules against growth and expansion. They’re already added a new option over to Dallas/Fort Worth, and that joins Ft. Lauderdale as their other nonstop option. You know the deal when it comes to Spirit Airlines, so just watch those fees!

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Flying Virgin Atlantic This Thursday? Check Your Amenity Kit for $4,000 Eyeshades.

So. Adding a little Swarovski crystal tramp-stamping on their new Upper Class bar wasn't enough for Virgin Atlantic. The airline has just announced that, on September 6, five lucky Economy passengers on Virgin Atlantic flights will also enjoy an extra bit of sparkle by finding crystal-covered eyeshades in their onboard amenity kits.

They're not just any crystal-covered eyeshades, either; these are Swarovski ones with 3,000 crystals painstakingly hand-applied over 10 hours. The value? $4,000 each. Kinda makes you not want to put your greasy, jetlagged face on it and snore through a 7-hour flight, huh?

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Virgin Atlantic, JetBlue, and ANA Star in This Week's New Routes

Sometimes it’s hard to stay on top of all the new route announcements that come our way, so we’ve complied a little bit of a rundown below. As long as you can afford the fares, this should definitely help add to your passport stamp collection.

· Virgin Atlantic:
Transatlantic flights—and beyond—are the first things that come to mind when you think of Virgin Atlantic and their route network, but the latest news out of the airline might just cause you to start thinking a little bit differently. Virgin Atlantic just announced their intention to start up their first domestic route, as the plan is to fly from London-Heathrow over to Manchester starting early next year.

If all goes according to plan the flights will operate three times per day between the two cities. They’ll be leasing some Airbus A319s to get the job done, and we even heard that they’re thinking about heading to spots in Scotland—Aberdeen and Edinburgh to be specific.

· British Airways:
British Airways just made it a little bit easier to get around the globe, as the plan is to start up some new service over to Sri Lanka. The plan is to link London-Gatwick with Colombo beginning on March 31 of next year.

Unfortunately this isn’t a nonstop option, as there will be a stop on the way over. However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing as it sounds like the stop will be in the Maldives. Flights will run back and forth three times per week, and all the passengers will be riding aboard Boeing 777s. Apparently British Airways hasn’t visited Sri Lanka since like 1998, so it’s good to see that the planes are heading back over there.

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The Newbie Traveler Takes His First Flight in a Boeing 747

What would your life be like if you hadn't yet traveled to Europe? If you'd spent years reading travel novels and fantasizing over guidebooks, but hadn't made the big leap? This is the case for Andy Miles, who in his late twenties just embarked on a trip to hit most of the cities for the first time. He's walking us through the emotions and observations of a true Newbie Traveler.

Here's the truth: I'm not really such a Newbie Traveler anymore. A few days ago I realized that I may have been more places than some people who consider themselves world travelers. All told, I've been to the UK, France, Mexico, Switzerland, Italy, Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. Oh, and also the United States, but that doesn't really count.

There are some specific things I did on this trip which I had never done before, all aiding in the end feeling that I'm officially an international traveler now. Here's a couple, for example:

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Jaunted Originals: Inside Five Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses

What's that saying? Ah yes, "the best camera is the one you have on you." Since we're never without a camera and hardly ever not traveling, we've managed to capture a serious collection of travel photos in our numerous Photo Galleries.

Here at Jaunted, we devote a lot of enthusiasm to exploring the the premium airline lounges of the world, but time and time again we're asked about what behind the doors of the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses. Must be the mystique, or you know— the fact that their cocktail list is legendary.

Now is as perfect a time as ever to share their interiors with you—the ones we've been inside, at least. That includes the Clubhouses of London-Heathrow, London-Gatwick, San Francisco, Newark-Liberty and the very spicy, very new digs at New York-JFK. Just keep in mind that, coming this October, the Newark lounge reopens with a completely renovated design, with the aim of evoking Manhattan's downtown vibe.

Without further ado:

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Flight Attendants to Earn Gold Stars in Etiquette from Virgin Australia

Australia's cheekiest airline is about to get its act straight. In the quest to woo business passengers from its rival, Qantas, Virgin Australia is shipping its flight attendants straight off to etiquette class. To be more specific, these instructional classes are called "Elevate", and that's just what they're meant to do—elevate the service and impress travelers of all kind as they step onboard.

This isn't your run-of-the-mill Emily Post course; simple what-not-to-dos are only the beginning. Cabin crew will be trained in posture and body-language, wine-appreciation and grooming. A simple smile and "g'day" will no longer suffice.

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An Airline Lounge Virgin, Touched for the Very First Time

Every so often here at Jaunted, we get a dispatch from The Newbie Traveler Andy Miles, who, despite his passion for travel, is still working on getting out there in the world. His unique perspectives are those of a first-timer, and today we're excited to hear about his very first visit to an airline lounge. Starting strong with Virgin Atlantic's Upper Class Clubhouse at London-Heathrow Airport:

This is not my first time through London-Heathrow, nor is it my first transatlantic flight (though that one wasn't too long ago), but it is my first instance of entering an airport's other realm, that magical place reserved for elite flyers.

I arrived at the Virgin Atlantic check-in counter a solid 3 hours before my flight. A greeting and a smile by the "Upper Class Red"-lipsticked attendant was the first good omen. I checked my bag and was explained the process of accessing the almighty Upper Class Clubhouse lounge.

"Go straight to the elevator just there, through the Fast Track security line, and then proceed to Lounge H."

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